Emerald eyes
by Reina Valeria Nox
Summary: "Are you Wyatt's little brother?" Phoebe watched as Chris's expression became dark and somber. He looked broken and tired; his emerald eyes glistened with tears. He looked at floor, his shoulders heaving as he tried to find the right words. "No."
1. Not what you think

"Are you Wyatt's little brother?"

Phoebe watched as Chris's expression became dark and somber. He looked broken and tired; his emerald eyes glistened with tears. He looked at floor, his shoulders heaving as he tried to find the right words. "No." He finally said.

Phoebe's eyes widened. She had been so sure, so confident that she had finally figured out his secret. "But…but I saw…"

"No. You didn't." His voice was hard. He reached out suddenly and grabbed for her empty hands, curling his fingers heavily around hers. She gasped as the familiar psychic pull engulfed her, sucking her into a premonition.

She was back in the manor. In the sunroom. It was morning, and the bright sun was pulsating into the room where she had seen the two young boys playing. The scene began to unfold, the characters appearing to play their roles. The blonde boy had a videogame in his hands, his head bent over it greedily. The brunette boy was not standing beside him as he had been earlier. In his place a brunette girl with braids and dark eyes tired to reach for the videogame while the blonde boy held it out of her reach. Piper, walking in with a plate of cookies and her cellphone to her ear, tapped the game as she passed. "Wyatt, let your little sister play, please." She scolded, gently. She walked past Phoebe and put the plate down on the table.

Phoebe looked around, searching for the brunette boy. "Piper, can you take Phoebe to the doctor please?" Paige, her hair dyed red instead of brown, swept into the room, her black robe falling freely over her shoulders like wings. "I have so many papers to grade." She added with an exasperated sigh.

Piper looked up from the table, her cellphone still cradled between her neck and shoulder. "I have to go the restaurant. Apparently the lobster I ordered for the menu tonight went bad." Paige put her hands on her hips and frowned. Before she could protest Piper continued. "Ask Prue."

"Prue?!" Phoebe whirled around in shock and surprise at the sound of her late sister's name. As if on cue Prue stepped into the room. Phoebe stared at her sister with her mouth agape. Prue was more beautiful then she remembered: her thick dark hair hung loose over her shoulders, bangs brushed quickly to either side. She was dressed comfortably in jeans and a flowing black top with mesh sleeves that she pushed up before crossing her arms, her emerald eyes darting suspiciously between Piper and Paige. "Prue, can you please take Phoebe to the doctor?" Paige asked, her hands still firmly planted on her hips. "I have to get all these papers graded by tonight."

Phoebe watched, still absolutely speechless as Prue brought a hand up to brush her stubborn bangs back and turned to look at Piper. "I have to get the restaurant and change my menu for tonight." Piper explained, before returning to her phone call.

"Please Prue. I promise I'll make it up to you." Paige begged, her lips puckering into a frown.

Prue laughed and Phoebe had to hold her breath. She never dared to imagine the sound of Prue laughing. Her laugh was high and sincere, and when she finished, she was smiling. It made Phoebe weak in the knees to see her sister smiling again. Before Prue could speak, however, the brunette boy Phoebe had been looking for raced into the room. "Mommy! Mommy!" Phoebe couldn't have been any more shocked then to watch as he passed by Piper and ran into Prue's arms instead.

Phoebe stepped back from Chris's grip, breathing heavily and shaking. Chris reached out to steady her, but she shoved him away, gripping unto the wall and grabbing for her chest with her free hand. "You…" She couldn't form the words. She couldn't believe. She didn't dare believe. "You're…"

"Prue's son."


	2. The Witch is Back

She stared at him for a long time that night. To his credit, he let her stare. He quite obviously wasn't unfamiliar with the pain of loss, and he knew that by his very presence in this room, let alone his very existence, he had already restored Phoebe's eldest sister to her. The how, the why, the when, was just details, garnish really, in light of his presence. He was flesh and blood proof that she would soon have her beloved sister back, and what's more…alive?

"So is Prue a whitelighter?" It seemed an odd question to ask when she had so many. There was so much she wanted, needed, to know.

He hesitated again. Not because of future consequences, but because of present ones. His mother was indeed alive, even unto this very moment, but the conclusion she had jumped to, obvious though it may seem, was wrong. His whitelighter abilities were not the inheritance of his mother. "No. She's just a witch." Granted, Prue Halliwell is and has never been "just a witch" and he cringed after the words came out of his mouth. They made his mother sound so ordinary, when she was in fact extraordinary. And he could say that not just because he was her son, but because he had seen her strength, her power, her will for himself.

In the days after Piper's death, he watched her grief pour out like river of rushing rapids, but she would not allow it to consume her. She had taken up her position as the eldest Charmed One long before, and she would not abdicate that position to grief as long as she had two younger sisters, a nephew, five nieces, and her own young sons to protect. Her ability to lead through even the darkest of times had given Chris hope. It gives him hope still.

"So where is she? She's alive right now? What happened? How?" Phoebe let loose her storm of questions and Chris reluctantly brushed them aside. "Can I tell Piper and Paige?"

"Use the 'To Call a Lost Witch' spell." He told her, taking a step back. A moment later white orbs engulfed him and he was gone. Phoebe stood staring at the place he had just vacated and then took off running back to the bar.

"We need to get home right now." She told her sisters, grabbing Paige excitedly around the waist and holding unto her for dear life.

"Woah! Where's the fire, woman?" Paige asked throwing her arms up as her middle sister squeezed her. "Ow. You're squishing me."

"Oh sorry." She said sheepishly, releasing her hold a little. "Sorry."

"What's gotten into you, Pheebs?" Piper asked, calmly leaning against the bar and peering at her younger sister with curious eyes.

"Chr-" She cut herself off. Maybe it wasn't best to tell them right now, not when there were so many questions and the two people who could answer them were currently absent. "I mean, I had a premonition, and it was…we need to get to the book."

"Oh don't tell me we have to go after a demon; I'm supposed to go see Richard." Paige whined, flipping her strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder as she spoke.

"Sisters! Important! Let's go!" Phoebe finally shouted, garnishing her the attention of innocent bystanders. She smiled sweetly and they turned away, feeling quite awkward.

"Alright! Jeeze." Piper said, joking slightly as she turned to one of the other bartenders. "Hey, I'm cutting out early, Tom. Close up for me?"

"Sure thing, Piper." Tom replied with a genuine smile. Piper returned the smile and then looked at Phoebe with a less enthusiastic one.

Once they entered the manor, Phoebe rushed up the stairs with Piper and Paige on her heels. "Is this a really terrible demon that like kills innocents by the hundreds?" Paige asked, cracking a joke behind Phoebe's back.

"No." She replied tersely, stalking into the attic and grabbing for the first bowl in sight. Piper and Paige shared a look, and then Paige went to grab the book while Piper helped Phoebe gather ingredients.

"We're summoning a witch?" Piper asked, as she passed Phoebe the athame. When Phoebe didn't answer her, she tried again. "Phoebe, what is going on?"

"We're summoning Prue." Phoebe finally answered, taking the book from Paige's arms. Paige's mouth opened but no words came out, she only stared shocked, first at Phoebe and then at Piper.

"Phoebe." Piper said softly, she tried to smile but her eyes glistened with sadness and tears. "We can't summon her, you know that." She put a gentle hand on his sister's shoulder.

"It will work this time." She shot back. "If we all say it together and if we all bleed into the bowl."

Piper sighed. She looked back at Paige and gestured for her to come closer. "Let's humor her, come on." She told her youngest sister. Paige walked over and stood uneasy between her two sisters.

"Piper, it will work." Phoebe insisted, opening up to the spell. She passed the book to Paige and all three sisters bent over the spell.

"Power of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies. Come to us who call you near, come to us and settle here." Phoebe slit her finger and let the drops of blood hit the bowl. She passed the athame to Paige, and one by one each of her sisters bled into the pot. "Blood to blood, I summon thee, blood to blood, return to me."

At the last syllable a cold wind blew through the attic. It settled before the sisters and began to take shape. "Prue?" Piper asked, her voice catching in her throat. But instead of her departed sister, an ugly almost corpselike demon appeared. The sisters screamed in shock, before Piper threw her hands out, blowing up his shoulder as she did so. The demon growled in pain and anger, waving his hand and flinging Piper back into a pile of boxes.

"Piper!" Phoebe levitated up and kicked the demon in the head. He grabbed her and flung her into the wall beside Piper. "Ahh!"

"Athame!" Paige called, the dagger disappeared from the table and reappeared in her hand. The demon licked his lips in anticipation as Paige swung at him. He knocked the dagger from her hand and threw her to the floor beside her sisters.

Piper had regained consciousness, and just as she raised her hands to blow him up, he burst into flames. As he disappeared he revealed a dark haired, pale woman, holding the discarded athame. She turned to look at the sisters. Piper gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Phoebe broke out into a tearful smile. Paige's eyes widen and her mouth dropped open in shock. "Prue!" They all said at once, before nearing falling over each other to rush into her arms.

"Piper, Phoebe." She said softly, wrapping her arms around her sisters and planting her chin between them, before looking up to the sister who hung back. "Paige." She whispered, her emerald eyes meeting her sister's chocolate ones. "Come here, honey." She stepped back from Piper and Phoebe. Piper grabbed Phoebe into a tight embrace, which Phoebe returned as they watched Prue and Paige.

"Prue!" Paige gasped out, falling into her eldest sister's arms. Both sisters burst into tears as they held each other close. Piper and Phoebe wrapped their arms around them. Suddenly a bright blue light split threw the room, forcing Piper, Prue, and Phoebe away from Paige. The book shook on its stand. Bright lights rose out of Paige and settled unto Prue.

"Oh no." Prue muttered as the lights disappeared.

"What just happened?" Piper asked in confusion, looking from her eldest sister to her youngest.

"Are you two okay?" Phoebe also looked from Prue to Paige.

"Book." Paige said suddenly, holding her hand out for the Book of Shadows. Nothing happened. "My power!" She gasped.

"Book." Prue echoed, holding out her own hand. This time the Book disappeared into thin air, though not with orbs, and reappeared in Prue's hands. "Oh no." She said again, putting the book down and staring at her hands.

"You stole my power?!" Paige turned to her newly found sister with narrowed eyes and unhappy expression. Phoebe and Piper moved to stand between them.

"She didn't steal it." The four sisters turned to see Chris standing in the doorway. He walked forward a few steps, his eyes focused on Prue.

"Chris, what are you doing here?" Piper demanded.

"It's okay, Piper. He's Prue's son." Phoebe told her.

"What?!" Piper and Paige exclaimed at the same time as Chris drew nearer to Prue.

The eldest Charmed One stared at the man before her, taking in his appearance. After a long moment she smiled and held her arms out. Chris nearly fell into them, holding the past version of his mother in a tight embrace. "I missed you, Mom." He muttered.

"Chris, is it? It's wonderful to meet you." She said in reply.

"Okay, what is going on here?" Paige asked, running her hands over her face and threw her hair.

"The Power of Three reconstituted itself. It recognizes Mom as its true conduit." Chris explained.

"Oh great. So now I'm powerless."

"No. You're still a witch, you'll just develop your own powers, separate from the Power of Three. And you still have your whitelighter powers."

"So what…I'll get the ability to create lightening or something?"

"Exactly. Your past life had elemental magic, you'll get that too."

It dawned on Paige that he was right. She remembered going to the past, being able to use the evil Enchantress's powers against her. The feeling of having all that magic inside her, and being able to utilize it. Maybe it was a fair trade off from telekinetic orbing afterall.

Prue stepped forward, holding her hands out to Paige. "I'm so sorry, Paige. If I knew this was going to happen…"

"No. I'm okay with it. I've seen what my past life could do and those powers were wicked awesome. You can have your telekinesis, in all its forms. It is afterall, your power." Paige gave her eldest sister a smile, walking forward and wrapping her arms around her again.

"Well now that that's settled, Prue how long have you been alive and why the hell haven't you come by to tell us this?" Piper asked, planting her hands firmly on her hips as she stared at her older sister.

Before Prue could answer white and blue orbs appeared next to Chris. They took the form of a dark haired man dressed entirely in black, with a grim expression on his features. "Prue, what are you-" He stopped, seeing all four sisters gathered in the space. "Oh…"

"Cole?!"


	3. Of Witches and Demonlighters

"Cole?!" Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all exclaimed together as they stared at the familiar demon in shock. A moment past before Piper raised her hands, Phoebe stepped back into a defensive stance, raising her arms into a guard, and Paige held her palm out, readying to call for the nearest heavy object, completely forgetting that she no longer possessed that power.

"Wait!" Prue jumped in front of her sisters. As she did so, an invisible wall arose in front of her and Cole, like a shield, blocking Piper's power and deflecting Phoebe's advance. The sisters stared at each in shock and Prue again looked down at her hands. "Woah." The wall disappeared and Prue turned around to Cole. "What is happening to my powers?"

"You're getting a three year upgrade. Now that the Power of Three has been restored to its original form, the powers you would have developed are breaking through. I'm guessing you've already discovered telematerialization?" Cole explained, calmly, even as the other three sisters look at him with death glares and shock. Prue nodded in response to his question. "That was your shielding power. Your telekinesis has grown enough that you can use it a physical barrier between yourself and anyone else from an attack. Magical and physical."

"So it's just like Wyatt's shield, without the whitelighter orbs." Piper reasoned.

Prue nodded again as she took this in. "Wow, Prue, back to super-witch status already." Phoebe commented in spite of herself, forgetting for a split second that Cole was in the room.

"I guess you guys were right about her being this awesome super witch." Paige mused, looking at her oldest sister with admiration and perhaps a little of jealousy.

"Maybe I should go?" Cole whispered, bending down to Prue's level so he could talk into her ear. The sisters were suddenly aware of his presence again, the intensity of Prue's new powers wearing off. Not that any of them could permanently hurt him, but he really didn't want to cause a rift between the sisters when they had just been reunited.

"That would probably be a good idea." Prue told him with a sad smile, trying to avoid her sisters' confused looks.

"I'll see you at home." He leaned forward and kissed her, orbing out in the midst of the kiss. Prue sighed, a warm smile spreading over her face as she opened her eyes as she stared, lovingly at the spot he had just vacated. The smile disappeared quickly, however, when she turned to look at her sisters.

Piper's mouth was agape, her eyes wide with shock, anger, and general confusion. Phoebe was gasping, trying to make words as she pointed furiously between Prue and the spot Cole had vacated. Paige had a pissed off look across her face, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she stared at Prue. Prue smiled sheepishly and looked over at Chris, who everyone had seemed to have forgotten was still standing there. Chris rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly, staring a look with his mother. She sighed and looked at her sisters, crossing her arms over her chest in an identical posture to Paige's. "I think I have some explaining to do."

"COLE IS YOUR HUSBAND?!" The occupants of the room all winced at Piper's outburst. They were now seated in the living room. Phoebe and Paige were seated on the couch across from Piper while Prue occupied a chair to the side. Chris was sitting on the arm of Prue's chair, one arm drapped across the back of the seat. His other hand was entwined with Prue's. At the revelation, Piper rose from her chair and stared accusingly at her big sister.

"Let me explain, Piper, please." Prue said calmly. Piper swallowed with difficulty and sat back down. Phoebe's face was in her hands, and Paige still had the upset look. She had told them her story, about how the Angel of Destiny granted her back her life for her role in bringing down the Source, but in order to allow Paige to grow into her magic, she was not allowed to see her sisters. Lest they lose Paige and prevent her from fulfilling her own destiny separate from the Power of Three. So Prue had been living in Los Angeles for the last two years. "When you three vanquished Cole, he was sentenced to survive eternity between life and death. Always caught between the planes, unable to move on, but unable to do harm either. However, when Leo became an elder, and Chris was assigned to you, I obviously needed a new whitelighter, and they were not going to assign Chris. They didn't trust him to keep my secret. Leo didn't trust him to keep my secret."

"Leo knew about this?" Phoebe raised her head and looked at Prue. "And he didn't tell us."

"He couldn't. He was sworn to secrecy." Chris piped up. "It's not his fault, Piper." He added, looking at his eldest aunt.

Piper sighed and nodded. "I know. The Elders didn't want Paige to lose her magic before the time was right." She sent a smile to her youngest sister. "If we had known about Prue we wouldn't have listened, we'd have gone out after her, and then Paige would have lost her powers."

After a moment Paige nodded, her expression finally softening. "I guess I can't be mad about this. You were trying to protect me."

"What about Cole." Phoebe finally put in.

Prue sighed. "So all of Leo's charges had to be reassigned. And since I was top priority after the Charmed Ones, they needed someone they could trust. Someone they knew could protect me, and protect my secret."

"And they choose Cole?" Phoebe asked, shocked. "Cole is the person they could trust? After everything that he did to us?"

"Even someone like Cole is capable of remorse and therefore redemption." Chris told her. She rolled her eyes and he narrowed his. "He tried to be good, Phoebe. He tried hard. Loving you just wasn't enough to overcome the evil inside him." Phoebe looked down and then looked away.

"Chris." Prue said softly, squeezing her son's hand. "They gave Cole a chance at redemption. They made him a whitelighter. My whitelighter."

"That doesn't explain why you married him." Paige rubbed Phoebe's back comfortingly, and cocked her head towards Prue. "I mean, come on Prue, I thought you were always suspicious of him."

"Once he became a whitelighter…I don't know, he felt different to me. I could sense how much he cared. How much he loved. He finally had good in his heart. The kind of goodness and love...it just happened."

Piper smiled, seeing the look on her sister's face. "I get it. I do. I don't like it, but I understand it."

"Thanks Piper." Prue smiled. After a moment Paige nodded as well. Phoebe, however, remained silent. "Phoebe?"

"I can't, Prue. I'm sorry. After everything he's done-"

"You don't know about all the good he'll do." Chris said, suddenly very cross. Prue turned to her son and he sighed. "I'm sorry, Mom, but-"

"Wait a minute." Phoebe got up and walked towards Chris. "Cole is your father?!" Piper and Paige looked at each other, realization dawning on them as well. "Oh my god. I can't believe this." She whirled back around to look at her sisters.

"Well now it all makes sense." Paige mused. Piper and Phoebe looked at her. She shrugged. "It explains why he's willing to go to such drastic measures to protect Wyatt. I mean sending Leo to Valhalla? Totally something Cole would have done."

"And why he came back to protect Wyatt in the first place." Piper added. "Prue would do anything to protect her family."

"They do know I'm standing right here, right?" Chris whispered to his mother, who scoffed, and then grinned at him. "I'm so happy to finally see you, by the way."

Prue wrapped her arms around him. "You know when Leo first told me about you, I kind of guessed you had to be related."

"I knew you would. That's why I've stayed away."

She pulled back and looked at him. "You have my eyes, but you look so much like your father."

"Yeah. You always told me I got more than my fair share of his genes." Prue laughed outloud at this, causing her sisters to turn their attention back to the pair. "Usually you'd say that after I did something stupid. You'd tell me I got my recklessness from him."

"So wait." Paige got up as well, looking at Chris. "If you're twenty two, and you're from twenty three-ish years in the future, then…"She looked at Prue.

"Oh my god, Prue!" Piper shot up and grinned.

Prue looked down and smiled, nodding.

"Oh!" All three of her sisters rushed forward to enclose her into a hug.


	4. Three's company

"You're staring." Prue and Paige were both seated in the sun room, trying to stay out of the way while Piper finished cooking a very early morning breakfast, and Phoebe got the dining room ready. It was nearly two am, but none of the sisters were ready to bed down just yet. Phoebe insisted that Prue spend the night, to which Piper insisted on cooking for everyone. Prue knew better then to argue with both sisters at the same time and agreed.

Paige couldn't help but keep her dark eyes focused on her eldest sister, taking in every detail: her raven colored hair cascaded down below her shoulders in soft, yet artificial waves, the high set cheekbones and pump lips that she herself shared. She let her eyes travel down her sister's body, noting the way her simple black blouse flattered her full figure, the slit sleeves and wide neckline showing off her soft, pale skin, and the immaculate condition of her black slacks despite the events of the day. She raised an eyebrow in surprise when she noticed that they were both wearing the same platform black ankle boots. She watched her as though she was sure Prue would soon dissolve into thin air and never be seen again. "Paige." Prue tried again. "You're staring."

"Oh." She blinked, hearing her the second time. She closed her eyes and looked away. "I'm sorry. I just…"

Prue smiled, her hand coming up to cup Paige's cheek as she turned the youngest Halliwell's face toward her. "I know. I've been waiting a lot time to meet you too." She gazed into her baby sister's dark eyes, and patted her cheek lovingly. Paige reached up and squeezed her hand. "I'm not going anywhere, I'm not ever going to leave you or Piper or Phoebe again. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." The sisters turned to see Chris standing in the doorway, holding Wyatt on his hip. He was once again wearing his normal, grave expression, though he didn't look nearly as run-down and pale as he had been the last couple of months. "Aunt Piper," Paige was surprised how natural the words sounded as though they were meant to be. "says the food is ready."

Prue smiled, looking at Paige who nodded. They got up and Paige headed into the dining room while Prue hung back, stopping in front of the future version of her son and gazing down at the blonde haired boy in his arms. Without a word Chris passed the baby over to her and she took him in her arms, holding her close to her chest. "Hi Wyatt. I'm your aunt Prue." Wyatt seemed to understand who she was, and he instantly gripped himself unto her. "I'm sorry I haven't been around, but that's all going to change now. I'm going to keep you safe. We all are." She looked past her nephew straight to her son, who caught her gaze but did not keep it.

"Breakfast was wonderful, Piper." The once again middle sister was holding her son on her lap, bouncing him on one knee. She looked up and smiled graciously at the comment from Prue, acknowledging her pleasure that her elder sister had enjoyed the meal. "I've missed your cooking." That was all it took for Piper to reach across the table for Prue's hand. Prue took it with an understanding smile, giving her younger sister's hand a loving squeeze. Phoebe reclined her head against Prue's shoulder, refusing to leave the physical touch of her beloved older sister. Prue planted a kiss on the top of Phoebe's head and muttered softly into her ear. "The table is beautifully set, Pheebs." Phoebe grinned, reaching up to wrap her arms securely around her sister.

Chris and Paige sat across from Prue and Phoebe, silently watching the exchanges between the reunited sisters. At one point Chris let his hand fall unto Paige's lap and she took it in both of hers, squeezing it fondly. "Don't worry, you get along really well with Mom in the future." He whispered, low enough so that only she could hear. She smiled at that. "And you always were my favorite aunt."

There was a crashing sound from upstairs in the attic. It was loud enough to startle the sisters. Prue in particular, glowed red as it reached her ears and instantly disappeared, causing Phoebe to crash into her vacant chair. "Ouch." The younger of the middle sisters complained.

"Prue!" Piper called, looking up anxiously at ceiling. "Prue, where are you?" Chris immediately moved from his seat.

"In the attic! Get up here!" Prue's voice echoed. Chris instantly orbed out. Paige grabbed unto her sisters' hands and orbed them into the attic after him. They found Prue sitting on the floor beside the cleared wall. In her lap lay a bruised and bloody young man with thick, unruly dark hair. His eyes were closed in pain and he was extremely pale. The tip of a black arrow was visible in his side. Beside them another young man was crouched down, also bloody and bruised. He had the same dark hair and pale skin, and he looked up at them with emerald eyes full of fear. A triquetra aided portal closed and sealed itself behind them. "He called me Mom." Prue stated, looking up incredulously at her sisters.

"Connor. Caleb." Chris breathed, his eyes flashing with recognition, fear, and love. It was not missed by any of the sisters.

A beat passed and then three simultaneous calls of "Leo!" mixed with Prue's cries for Cole filled the room. Both whitelighters orbed in at the same time, and turned to look at each other. Leo acknowledged Cole with a nod before turning his attention to the sisters.

Chris fell down beside his mother, grabbing unto the second man by the shoulders. "Caleb, are you alright?" He patted down the man's body, stopping at his hands, which were cut and bloody. He looked up again only to see emerald eyes glazed over. "Caleb?"

"I wasn't strong enough to pull the arrow out. Forgive me, Chris, I didn't know what else to do. They ambushed us."

"Prue don't touch that, your baby is half-whitelighter." Piper warned on the other side of Chris. Prue recoiled her hand from the arrow. "Paige, you stay back too." Phoebe went forward to get out the arrow.

"Shh. Dad!" Cole went straight to Chris's side, kneeling down beside the two men and holding his hands over Caleb's. Chris held him in his arms and looked over to his mother. Phoebe had pulled the arrow from the other man, Connor, and Leo was already starting to heal him. "Leo, what's taking so long?" Chris demanded.

Leo looked up, frowning. "He almost died." He snapped.

"Don't talk to my son like that." Prue replied without missing a beat. Leo's eyes widened in surprise, and he turned to look at Piper and Phoebe who confirmed with a nod. Leo swallowed thickly as realization dawned on him and then turned his attention back to healing Connor. Cole moved from Chris and Caleb and put his own hands over Connor, speeding up the healing process.

The man gasped as his wounds closed and he opened emerald eyes, staring straight at Prue. "Mom?" He gasped out in confusion. "Mom am I dead?"

"No. You're not." Chris said firmly.

Connor's eyes fell on Chris and he got up slowly. Chris helped Caleb up and the three men stared at each other for a long moment before embracing each other. Cole moved to Prue's side looking at her in confusion. She, however, did not seem confused or surprised; instead she gazed at the men with pride and love. These were her sons, Chris's younger brothers, she could feel it. She gripped unto Cole's hand and squeezed it as she stared at each boy in turn. They shared the same shade of dark brunette hair and wore it similarly, and they all had her green eyes. Chris, of course, resembled his father, but Connor and Caleb more resembled her side of the family. Connor took after Piper and Phoebe, while Caleb looked more like Paige and herself. She could tell by the slight gestures between the brothers that Caleb was the youngest as Chris and Connor shelled him protectively between them.

"Something you want to tell us, Chris?" Phoebe asked coyly, putting her hands on her hips. Paige, Leo, and Piper stared curiously at the three men, waiting for Chris to answer.

"These are my brothers." He said after a moment. "Connor and Caleb."

"Three boys. Good luck, Prue." Piper mused, giving her sister an evil smile.

"You risked a lot in coming here." Cole said firmly, his eyes darting between the three of them. "Not that I'm not happy to meet my future sons, of course."

"All three of them are Cole's sons, no wonder the future sucks." Phoebe whispered to Paige under her breath.

"Those are our nephews, missy." Paige shot back, too caught up in the arrival of her future nephews to be bothered by the identity of their father.

Caleb looked away sheepishly. "I panicked. When I couldn't get the arrow out, I cast a spell to call for Chris and it brought us here instead."

"Why didn't you use your powers?" Phoebe asked.

"I can't premonition the arrow out." Caleb shot back.

"Premonition?" Prue asked. She stepped forward. "So Chris has my power, and if Caleb has Phoebe's." She turned to the future version of her middle son. "Which means you must be able to freeze."

Connor looked at Chris who sighed dejectedly. Connor picked up a book from the floor and threw it into the air. He threw his hands out in a similar gesture to his aunt Piper, however instead of freezing the book exploded into a million pieces. Connor sighed dejectedly. "Damnit, that keeps-"

"Happening whenever you try to freeze." Piper finished for him. She grinned with a hint of pride to see that one of Prue's sons shared not one but both of her powers. "That happened to me too."

"The power of three." Paige muttered, glancing at her nephews.


	5. Wonder and Tragedy

"You should be asleep." Cole walked up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her torso, lovingly stroking her still flat stomach. Prue grinned softly, leaning back into his arms. She had been standing in the doorway to her old room, which Paige had graciously given up for the moment, watching her future sons sleep. Chris was laid out on the floor, only in the lightest of sleep, occasionally waking and checking on both brothers. Connor was asleep on the couch, utterly exhausted and sleeping fitfully. Caleb, however, tossed and turned in the bed with nightmares that seemed to rob him of all rest even as he slept. "He's been doing that all night?" Cole asked, referring to their youngest son.

"Yeah." Prue whispered softly. "But Chris has been waking up every twenty minutes and it doesn't seem like he's worried." Cole sighed, turning away from the room. Prue followed him down the hall a short ways and stopped him. "What is it?"

"Our sons shouldn't have to fear anything." Cole whispered. Prue sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "We have to stop this, Prue."

"We will. My sisters and I will find a way."

He leaned in and kissed her deeply. "I hope your right."

"You know I have an apartment in LA, right?" Prue was once again leaning against the doorway to Paige's room, watching as her youngest sister began packing things into boxes.

"No, Prue, we both know Piper and Phoebe are not going to let you stay in LA. Besides, this was your room first."

"Well given that me moving back in also means Cole will be moving in…"

"Oh stop, Phoebe will get over it." Paige told her cheerfully, grabbing another box.

"I don't want you to have to sleep in the basement, Paige."

"I'm not. I'm sleeping with Richard. I already sort of live there; this just gives me the excuse to move everything else over."

"I also don't want you to feel like me being here means you're forced out. I did kinda kick you out of the Power of Three."

"Please, I'm already over it. Being a whitelighter is much cooler anyway. And besides, this gives me a chance to finally step out of your shadow and be my own witch." She paused. "Whitelighter. Um…Witchlighter?" She nodded to herself and Prue laughed. Paige got up and faced her sister. "Prue, the Power of Three is and has always been your destiny. Mine is different, it always has been and it always will be." She reached out and hugged her oldest sister who enveloped her in a tighter hug.

"Aww." Piper and Phoebe were standing behind them watching, Phoebe holding Piper in a tight hug.

"You two are terrible." Prue commented, looking over her shoulder, her arms still around Paige.

"You have no idea." Paige muttered. "Now that Phoebe is an empath and Piper is a mom they're worse." Prue laughed outloud and Paige grinned. "I feel like I'm smothered by their…sistering."

"Oh we do not smother you." Piper shot back.

"So Piper," Prue began to change the subject. "Did you and Leo get a chance to talk?" Piper's eyes widen as her three sisters leaned in to hear her answer.

"About what?" Piper asked, trying to avoid the question.

"About Melinda!" Phoebe shrieked excitedly. "Come on, you two have to make my beautiful niece!" She grabbed Piper's hands.

"Phoebe." Prue scolded lightly.

"Look, Leo and I did talk…" She rolled her eyes at the excited looks from her sisters. "And we decided to wait and see what happens. This is a lot of pressure for me and him. You know, he is an elder and we haven't been together for like eight months now."

"Not that she's been counting." Paige muttered quietly.

"And there's Greg to think about." Piper finished, glaring at Paige.

"Whose Greg?" Prue asked.

"Greg the fireman, Piper's boyfriend." Paige told her.

"Oh…really?" Prue gave her sister a look. "This is your future daughter we're talking about. That little girl we saw when we went to the future." Piper sighed dejectedly. Prue smiled comfortingly and rubbed her sister's shoulder. "Well think of it this way, the sooner you get knocked up the sooner we will be pregnant together."

Phoebe and Paige both squealed at that and Piper was forced to smile. "I said we are going to think about it, alright?" She pulled Prue into a hug. "You have no idea how much I missed this."

"I know." Prue told her, smoothing back her sister's hair.

White and blue orbs filled the room and Prue pulled away from Piper as the orbs revealed Connor, looking out of breath. His clothes were mussed and he had a line of dirt and blood streaked across his face. "Connor? What happened?" Prue grabbed unto his wrist and pulled him to her.

He shook his head. "I'm fine, Mom, it's just as scratch. Chris sent me back here for the book. He and Caleb need a vanquishing spell."

"Okay." She gripped her son's hand and headed to the attic with him, her sisters on their heels. "Do you know the demon?"

"Just from the description in Caleb's premonition. Looks human, a woman, has dark hair, and something about a magic bottle or something? We ran into scabber demons when we were hunting."

"Scabber demons?" Paige asked as she and Prue looked through the book. Piper and Phoebe stood on either side of them.

"They're upper level demons that spray acid." All four sisters raised their heads in concern.

"Does Caleb have his active powers?" Phoebe asks, looking worried.

"Yeah, he can levitate, and orb of course. He's fine. They sent me because I'm still freezing and exploding at random." He explained. Piper smirked a little, leaning into Prue so that Connor wouldn't notice. Prue patted her face in amusement and went back to looking through the book.

"You said a magic bottle? What did you mean?" Paige asked as Prue flipped through more pages.

"Well Caleb saw-" Connor was cut off by orbs that took the forms of his brothers. "Guys!" Caleb was supported by Chris, one arm badly burned, the other wrapped around Chris's shoulders. Connor grabbed for his youngest brother.

"Dad!" Chris called. The sisters rushed to them, Prue reaching them first. She pulled her injured son carefully into her arms. "Cole!" Chris tried again. "Why isn't Dad answering?"

Prue looked up at Chris and Connor. "Cole?" She called and then shrugged. "He might be with another charge."

"Leo!" Piper called. Chris and Connor visibly tensed as the Elder orbed in. "Caleb." Piper pointed to her youngest nephew. While Leo healed the youngest, Piper went over to Chris, patting him down for an injury. "Are you okay?" She asked tenderly. Chris nodded, relaxing under his aunt's touch.

"There, good as new." Leo commented, helping Caleb up.

"Was it the scabbar demons?" Paige asked with a frown.

"They ambushed us, but that isn't where I got this." Caleb told him. Prue wrapped her arms tightly around him. He smiled at the feel of his mother's arms around him.

"We held them off for as long as we could, but I guess we need the Power of Three to vanquish them." Chris crossed his arms, holding his aunt Phoebe's gaze. She nodded. "In the meantime we're hunting the demon who burned Caleb with her fireball."

Leo put his hand over Connor's head, healing the gash from earlier. "You boys should be more careful." He scolded lightly.

"Yes Uncle Leo." Caleb said automatically, causing both his brothers to nudge him with even glares. "I mean…yeah." Paige and Phoebe both raised an eyebrow, smirking at each other. Prue smiled, lightly shoving Piper in Leo's direction, while Piper waved her off annoyed.

"Well I found the entry on scabber demons. You were right about the acid." Piper glanced at Connor. It was later in the evening, Chris had insisted that Prue lay down while he went to search for Cole. Paige had gone to Richard's for the night, and Caleb was downstairs with Phoebe working on a vanquishing spell. "So…about this future daughter of mine."

Connor's head shot up and he blanched white. "Chris will kill me if I say anything."

Piper waved her hand dismissively. "Future consequences, I know. I'm not asking you to reveal everything, though I warn you Phoebe is probably trying to strangle Caleb for some downstairs."

"Well, if he gives her a premonition that's one thing. For me to spill my guts, that's another." He smirked and Piper smiled. "She's beautiful, aunt Piper. She has your eyes and Leo's…well she was a good whitelighter."

"Was?" Piper frowned.

Connor gripped the edge of the book tightly, his face twisting in anger and sadness. "When the...he…he didn't want the Power of Three to exist, so he tried to destroy all the possible ways it could be reconstituted." Piper looked confused and Connor looked down. "He started with Melinda, Paris, and Brianna, and then Ava, Sami, and Jo. He didn't think it would be the three of us. But it was. The three sons of Prue Halliwell the new Power of Three." His aunt wrapped her arms around him and he leaned into her touch. "I'm sorry aunt Piper. I didn't…I didn't mean to."

"It's okay." She rubbed his back. "So…Paris and Brianna are Phoebe's daughters?" There was a hint of mischief in her eyes.

"Weren't you the one who taught me about personal gain?" Connor replied with a slight laugh. "Paris is. Brianna is my sister. And Ava, Samantha, and Johnna are Paige's daughters."

Piper smiled. "I hope I get to meet them." She tried to ignore the sadness that painted Connor's eyes. "Are you hungry?" She added.

Connor broke out into a wide grin. "I could eat."

"Come on then." She took his hand and lead him downstairs.

"Come on Caleb, just a little hint? You don't even have to say anything." Piper and Connor stopped short, watching Phoebe –literally- chasing Caleb around the kitchen. Piper glanced at her middle nephew, giving him an 'I told you so' look to which Connor tried to hide his smirk.

"Phoebe!" Piper yelled her 'mothering' tone, causing the younger of the middle sisters to stop short and look at her. "Stop badgering your nephew. Have you written the spell yet?"

Phoebe triumphantly held up a piece of paper. "One vanquishing spell."

"Good, now move so I can make sandwiches."

Caleb's eyes lit up at the mention of food. "You're gonna cook for us, Aunt Piper?" He asked, a little over eagerly.

"I sure am." She replied.

"Did I hear something about food?" Piper and Phoebe turned to see Prue in the doorway with Chris behind her. She was wearing yoga pants and a dark tank top, and her hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail.

"I thought you were sleeping." Phoebe leaned against the counter, and propped her chin up on her hand, watching her eldest sister.

"She wouldn't stay in bed." Chris replied sheepishly, glancing at his brothers. Connor and Caleb smirked at each other.

"Like I could sleep with the commotion coming from you two." Prue pointed accusingly at Phoebe and Caleb. "Besides, baby Chris wants a sandwich too."

"Well, big Chris wouldn't mind one either." The future version of her son replied, pulling his mother into a hug. The kitchen was then filled with laughter.


End file.
